


A Champion's Recovery

by Onehelluvapilot



Series: Febuwhump [26]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hurt Lancelot (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Injury Recovery, Or at least the medieval version of it, Physical Therapy, Physician Merlin (Merlin), Recovery, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:48:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29157663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onehelluvapilot/pseuds/Onehelluvapilot
Summary: Follow up to my other fic Champion. I guess you could read this one without having read that one, but I don't think it'll make much sense (I'm also really proud of that one so please go read it)
Relationships: Lancelot & Merlin (Merlin)
Series: Febuwhump [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2134998
Kudos: 13





	A Champion's Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by LiGi

“Okay, here goes nothing,” Merlin said as he unwrapped the last of the bandages from around Lancelot’s shoulder. The deep cut beside his neck had healed to a bright pink, raised scar, but the more important question was about whether the broken bone and muscle beneath the skin had knitted themself together just as well. The knight’s arm had been immobilized in a sling for the past six weeks so that he wouldn’t accidentally move it too soon and undo the healing that had been done on it, both by his own body and from Merlin’s spells. Even with the magical help, the recovery had been a slow process, and was far from done. The minotaur’s broadsword had done a lot of damage when it came down on his shoulder.

“Should I try to move it?” Lancelot asked uncertainty. Sitting shirtless on Merlin’s bed, he looked vulnerable and scared. He was skinnier than he used to be too, since he hadn’t been able to work out since his injury and his muscles had atrophied some.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Merlin encouraged gently. He watched with bated breath as Lancelot slowly lifted his elbow, with his hand tucked in against his shoulder. His arm made it halfway to level, but he couldn’t get it all the way up. He huffed in frustration and let it drop back down. “Hey, don’t feel bad, that’s great for a first attempt,” his friend was quick to encourage him. “You’ll need time to rebuild your strength, but honestly, it’s a really good sign that you were able to lift it that far. Did it hurt at all?”

“No,” Lancelot said with a small shake of his head. “It felt a little weird, but it wasn’t painful.”

“That’s good! Do you want to try to stretch it, see if you still have full range of motion?”

“If you think that’s a good idea.” The knight looked unsure, glancing at the warlock for support.

“I do,” Merlin tried to reassure him. “May I?” He gestured to the limb, which was now folded across Lancelot’s lap and covered with his left hand. Hesitantly, the other man nodded, and raised his arm to let Merlin take hold of it and gently move it around to roll his shoulder. “Tell me if any of this hurts.”

“It’s alright so far.” A second later though, a wince split his face as Merlin tried to move his arm upwards in front of him, twisting his shoulder more. “Okay, that does hurt a little,” he admitted.

“Okay,” Merlin said, letting his arm down. “We’ll want to stretch a little more then, so your arm doesn’t get ‘locked,’ as Gaius calls it. In the meantime though, I think it’s safe for you to stop wearing the sling all the time, and starting to use your right arm for light tasks.  _ Light  _ tasks though, you hear? No training yet, or lifting anything heavy.”

Lancelot sighed, and sensing his unhappiness, Merlin sat down beside him. “I know I shouldn’t be disappointed, that these things take time…” the injured knight said, “But I kept thinking that once I got the sling off, things would start to go back to normal, that I might even be able to start training again, if not return to being Arthur’s champion yet.”

“I know it’s frustrating,” Merlin agreed sympathetically, squeezing his friend’s hand. “This has been a hard month and a half for you, I know. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Lancelot shook his head. “You’ve already been a lot of help, Merlin,” he said. “I honestly don’t know how I would have gotten through this without you.” In addition to the healing spells he used to encourage the injury to mend properly, the physician’s assistant helped coordinate the medicine for the knight, including pain relief, and cared for him in the early stages of his recovery when he’d been mostly bedridden. Later on, when Lancelot confessed that he was worried about becoming dependent on the milk of the poppy, he had listened and helped him come up with other medicines for pain relief that allowed him to sleep through the night without pain while not becoming addicted.

“You would’ve managed,” Merlin encouraged him. “I’m sure Arthur, Gwen, and the other knights would have done all they could to help you. Speaking of which, do you want to go for a walk through the castle? I’m sure they’ll want to hear the good news about you getting to take the sling off.”

“I’m not…” Lancelot started to say, but broke off before he could finish his sentence and say he wasn’t sure that there was anything to celebrate.

In a previous moment of self doubt, he’d gone to Arthur to resign his position as Champion permanently, arguing with the king that he might never be as strong as he was before, and therefore no longer worthy of or fit for the role. Along with declining his resignation, replying that they should at least wait to see whether he recovered before he made that choice, the king had spoken to him about regaining not only his strength, but his confidence.

“It’ll come later, and might even be harder,” Arthur had said to him, holding onto his left shoulder to keep him close. “But unlike rebuilding your strength, this is something we’ll be able to help you with. Please, let us console you when you’re down, and let us cheer for your accomplishments and milestones, however small you may think they are. It will help, I promise.”

“Okay,” Lancelot replied to Merlin now as he had to Arthur then. The servant was looking at him with so much hope in his big blue eyes. Even if he didn’t particularly want to show off his arm, which was thin and weak and that he kept tucked against his side despite the sling having been removed, maybe the others would want to see it, and maybe they could cheer him up. His recovery had been as much mental as physical so far, as he’d been forced to confront some of his self-esteem issues regarding his sense of worth being tied so strongly to his strength and ability to help others and the crumbling of that when he suddenly had to accept help instead of give it. It seemed like his remaining recovery would be similarly split between his body and mind as he rebuilt his strength and confidence. He found himself somewhat encouraged by that thought though, and the idea that with the help of his friends, he might grow to be more resilient through the trials he had faced.

**Author's Note:**

> I love any and all feedback!


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